At a joint invitation of the Saudi ministers of Health and Agriculture, the GCC agriculture and health ministers met here today to explore ways of preventing the spread of bird flu into their region. Following the one-day meeting, a joint communiqué stated that the ministers reviewed reports on the situation of the epidemic in the world and were briefed on the measures taken by the concerned authorities in their respective countries to prevent bird flu breakout in the region. The statement said the ministers also discussed ways to exchange information on the latest developments of the disease, continue to bar the importation of birds, poultry meat, incubated eggs, and fodders from the bird flu-infected countries or those suspected to have cases of sick birds, continue to monitor the situation and early notify of any suspected case in any GCC member country to the rest of the members, provide the necessary requirements for prevention, diagnosis and treatment of the disease, and hold enlightenment program to get the people in the region acquainted with the problem and taught how to deal with it.
